


The Cure for a Headache

by misura



Category: Sandokan Series - Emilio Salgari
Genre: Hangover, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-03
Updated: 2020-03-03
Packaged: 2021-02-22 22:28:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23001397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: Yanez feels the effects of his and Sandokan's first victory celebration.
Relationships: Yanez de Gomera/Sandokan
Kudos: 9





	The Cure for a Headache

"By Jupiter!" Yanez groaned, one hand pressed against his forehead. "If I hadn't known better, I might have thought you poisoned me last night."

Sandokan chuckled, knowing his friend was merely joking - on the subject of poison, at least.

"I would have sworn I could drink anyone under the table." Yanez shook his head, then winced.

"Well, brother, you have never before feasted with the Tigers of Mompracem." Sandokan smiled. Had Yanez truly been poisoned, or suffering from anything more serious than the effects of too much drinking the night before, he would have felt far less amused, but as things were, he felt comfortable enough teasing his friend a little. "Or with me."

"An experience I wouldn't have missed for the world," Yanez admitted. "If this is the price, I'm well-content to pay it. Still, there must be some cure, surely? Had we been back in Portugal, I would have known what to do - I've prepared the concoction often enough myself, for youngsters who thought to get the better of me, the fools. But who's the fool now, eh?"

"Not you, brother," Sandokan said, smiling even more broadly, delighted to be given a glimpse of Yanez's past, however small. "You are as far from a fool as it's possible for any human being to get, I think."

"Bah," Yanez said, though Sandokan could tell he felt pleased at the flattery, which was no flattery at all but mere plain truth.

"Unless, of course, you regret having come here and swearing yourself to our cause." Sandokan could not keep a note of hurt and worry from his voice. He did not think Yanez the sort of man to swear an oath lightly, nor one to go back on his word once he had given it, yet the life of a pirate was not for everyone, and if Yanez had now found that he had rather return to the life he had led before, Sandokan knew that he loved his friend too well to stand in his way, blood brothers or not.

"Never." Yanez looked stricken. "It pains me that you can think so, worse even than this headache."

Sandokan experienced a great sense of relief and guilt at once, for having allowed himself to doubt. "I'm sorry. I didn't intend to make you feel worse than you already do."

"Well, maybe you're feeling the effects of last night, too," Yanez said. "Maybe you're just a better actor than I am, too busy hiding how you feel to think straight."

"I feel offended," Sandokan exclaimed. "That's how I feel. Me, a better actor than you, who can put on any uniform or diguise and make people believe he was born to wear it!"

Yanez smiled a bit, his discomfort forgotten for a moment. "It was a rather brilliant plan, wasn't it?"

"One we could have never pulled off without you," Sandokan agreed.

"And it's true I look dashingly handsome no matter what clothing I put on," Yanez said. "That's not unimportant, either, you know. One doesn't like to look less than one's best."

Sandokan grinned. "I might say you look dashingly handsome even without any clothes at all."

"So you might, though what good a thought like that does with me in such a sorry state, I don't know." Yanez mock-scowled. "Any man enjoys a bit of flattery, little brother, but if you have a cure for what ails me, that might be more welcome still."

"I will," Sandokan promised. "It should arrive any moment."

Yanez kept silent for a few moments. "Good," was all he said in the end. "Excellent. I will feel much better afterwards, I expect. Perhaps even well enough to share a few thoughts on your own looks, with or without clothes."

"Well, almost everyone who was at the feast last night will be sleeping late this morning, I expect, as is their just reward, for having fought as bravely as they did. So I expect we'll have some time before someone comes to disturb us," Sandokan said.

"Even if they do, we're their captains, aren't we? We'll simply tell them to get lost, because we're busy," Yanez declared. "Such are the privileges of command."

Sandokan chuckled. "Are you quite sure you need that cure after all? To me, you look like you're feeling much better already."

Yanez considered, then shook his head again, his face regretful, though Sandokan noticed he did not wince this time, which seemed to indicate Sandokan had been right and Yanez's headache was lessening already, thanks to his excellent constitution. "Better to be safe than sorry. Besides, there's no rush, is there?"

"None whatsoever," Sandokan assured him. "For my part, I will be quite content to sit here for the rest of the day and do nothing but look at you."

Yanez snorted. "A fine waste of time that would be."

"If that's how you feel, perhaps I should go and have a look how that cure's coming along."

"An excellent idea," Yanez approved. "Go at once. I'll be eagerly awaiting your return."


End file.
